Centaurus beetle
Encyclopedia
The Centaurus beetle, Augosoma centaurus, is a species of beetle
found in tropical Africa
, which measures about (40–90 mm). As common in many insect species, the male is larger than the female and usually two males will fight for a female for mating.
, which led to its initial classification to that genus. Eventually, it was moved to its present genus to avoid confusion as even the Xylotrupes genus from the southeast Asia
n tropics have a similar form. The male has large horns and is considerably bigger than the female, which has no horns as well.
of the centaurus beetle has a dark row of spots which is visible along the side of its body, known as the spiracles. These are openings leading to its tracheal network, which is the insect equivalent of the vertebrate lung. The spiracles could be considered as the insect version of nostrils. Spiracles are also present in the adult beetle and located along the sides of the abdomen; however, they have no distinct color and quite unnoticeable.
Centaur
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Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
found in tropical Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, which measures about (40–90 mm). As common in many insect species, the male is larger than the female and usually two males will fight for a female for mating.
Appearance
It is interesting to note that the Centaurus beetle's adult morphology is strikingly similar to that of beetles from the Dynastes genus which originate from tropical AmericaAmericas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, which led to its initial classification to that genus. Eventually, it was moved to its present genus to avoid confusion as even the Xylotrupes genus from the southeast Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n tropics have a similar form. The male has large horns and is considerably bigger than the female, which has no horns as well.
Larvae
The larvaLarva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
of the centaurus beetle has a dark row of spots which is visible along the side of its body, known as the spiracles. These are openings leading to its tracheal network, which is the insect equivalent of the vertebrate lung. The spiracles could be considered as the insect version of nostrils. Spiracles are also present in the adult beetle and located along the sides of the abdomen; however, they have no distinct color and quite unnoticeable.
Origin of the name
The origin of the name of the Centaurus beetle may be the GreekGreek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
Centaur
Centaur
In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...
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Uses and allusions in pop Culture
- The Centaurus beetle is used as the design scheme of the movie-only character Kamen Rider Ketaros in the adaptation film Kamen Rider Kabuto: God Speed LoveKamen Rider Kabuto: God Speed Loveis the theatrical film adaptation of the Kamen Rider Kabuto TV series directed by Hidenori Ishida and written by Shōji Yonemura. Unlike many others Kamen Rider movies, it does not follow the TV series's storyline. Instead, it is more like a prologue...
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